Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is expected to return from a three-game absence Sunday night when Cincinnati visits the Los Angeles Chargers.
Head coach Zac Taylor said Friday that he anticipates having Higgins in the lineup after he was a limited participant in practice this week due to a quad injury.
“I expect him to be like Tee,” Taylor after Friday’s practice. “I felt that last week that we’d be here this week. This week verified that. Today verified that.”
While Higgins is expected back, Taylor said “we’ll see” when asked if four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will play on Sunday. Taylor said the team will make a decision within the next 24 hours on Brown, who has missed the past two games with knee and fibula injuries.
Cody Ford would be in line to make his third straight start if Brown sits out again on Sunday.
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson did not participate in practice for the second straight day on Friday and is listed as questionable to face the Chargers. Thursday’s absence was listed as a neck injury/rest day for the 29-year-old Hendrickson, who leads the NFL with 11 sacks.
Per the Bengals, Hendrickson did not travel with the team due to Los Angeles due to personal reasons. He is expected to join the club Saturday but was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report.
Higgins, 24, has 29 receptions for 341 yards and three touchdowns played in five games (three starts) this season.
Cincinnati selected Higgins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has 286 receptions for 4,025 yards and 27 TDs in 63 career games (56 starts).
Brown, 28, has missed the past two games after starting the first eight this season, his second with the Bengals.
A third-round pick by Baltimore in 2018, he has started 100 of 106 games for the Ravens (2018-20), Kansas City Chiefs (2021-22) and Bengals.
Also on Friday, wide receiver Charlie Jones (groin) was listed as out and linebacker Joe Bachie (hip) as doubtful after both players failed to participate in practice this week. Defensive tackle B.J. Hill (knee) was questionable after turning in his second straight limited practice on Friday.
